Nominations for October-December 2005 Book

Nominations for the October - December 2005 LISNEWS Book Club are being accepted. To nominate a book just reply to this entry and detail what book you would like to nominate. The selected book can be read by any LISNEWS member that is interested and discussion will take place on the LISNEWS website.

Rather than write a book strictly about the rise of Google as a business, technology journalist Battelle targets his research on the concept of Internet search itself. Battelle begins the book with a discussion of an abstract concept he terms the "Database of Intentions" and defines as the sum total of all queries that pour into search engines and reveal the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of our culture. Though the bulk of the book is devoted to the search engine giant (which Battelle reports corners 51 percent of the search engine market), the author also includes chapters on 'Search, Before Google' and the 'Who, What, Where, Why, When. And How (much)' of search. Battelle is at his best when describing the creation of Google, especially through the personalities of its founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and in describing the company's culture. Battelle's descriptions of Internet search technology can get too technical for readers without a computer science background. Still, the book is a deeply researched and nimbly reported look at how search has defined the Internet and how it will continue to be a tremendous reflection of culture.

The first chapter is available as a pdf so I was thinking that people would have something to start with as they were waiting for their books to arrive.
On the other hand if we want libraries to have some copies available 2006 might be better because it will allow time for libraries to obtain a copy.

I'm reading _You Can Profit From a Monetary Crisis_I guess I'd like to hear what other people are reading, and then maybe take a stab at some suggestions for a book club...Fiction or non-fiction? Or no limits? I don't really discuss my fiction too much, either I enjoy it or I don't... Sometimes I like discussing ideas brought up by fiction, but usually that devolves into research or leads me far afield from the actual book.-- Ender, Duke_of_URL

Not a bad idea, but is it too new? Amazon says "preorder" and Peter says "a projected in-stock date of September 27"Maybe we should make that one for '06?Two ideas come to mind:1. Things my girlfriend and I have argued about (Mil)2. First have something to say (Walt)